1.) MESSAGING: REMEMBER THE AUTO INDUSTRY: The White House wants voters to remember that the bailout of the two of the big three was successful. "That industry is coming back, creating jobs," Carney says.

2.) OBAMA WANTED DALEY TO STAY: "Bill Daley proceeded to help the president navigate an extremely event-filled and difficult year for Washington and the country," Carney says.

3.) LEW'S THE NAME: "As decent and smart an individual as you will ever encounter in Washington," is how Carney described him. Carney also says he's totally ready to take over as Chief of Staff.

Carney: "The auto show is a reminder ... that in the face of stiff opposition" the president made the decision to bail out the auto industry. "Today, that industry is coming back, creating jobs..." Notes that the auto industry added more than 11,000 jobs and 100,000 jobs in 2011. Says that auto sales have climbed, and that the Big Three saw increases.

Q: CoS Daley said he was going to stay until January of 2013. Why prompted his decision to leave? Did he fail at building relationships with GOP?

Carney: "This is a case where it's important and accurate to take at face value what Bill Daley said in his letter of resignation to the president and what the president said yesterday in announcing this transition."

More "Even before [Daley] had officially taken the job ... he was here in the White House doing some paperwork ... when the news came that there had been a shooting in Tucson Arizona. ... From that day on, Bill Daley proceeded to help the president navigate an extremely event-filled and difficult year for Washington and the country."

Points to the Arab Spring, Japan earthquake, near-gov't shutdown, bin Laden death, the very tough negotiations with congress over the debt ceiling, etc, as major achievements under Daley (12:36).

Q: What does it mean that Lew is taking over? Is outreach over?

Carney says that Lew is highly respected. Calls him a "total straight shooter" and says "he knows how to work with members on both sides of the aisle."

More: "The president, as I've said and he has said, is absolutely committed to working with Congress this year" (12:39).

More: "If I could digress, I don't think there's another family like the Daleys more closely associated with a great American city ... While this was a surprise to the president, because he has someone like Jack Lew ... we will not miss a beat here in the West Wing."

Q: How does the president overcome the filibuster of nominees and get a budget director?

Carney says he has no announcements and says Lew will finish the FY2013 budget (12:41).

Q: Does he want to have someone in place before the budget?

Carney: "I don't want to get ahead of any announcement the president might make."

Q: Treasury report tended to highlight the areas that TARP where making money and hiding areas where it was?

Carney says he has no information, but the administration has been very forthright.

More: "I'm not aware of any discrepancies, but I'm not

Q: Does the president have a shortlist to replace Lew?

Carney has nothing.

Q: Would the president consider a recess appointment?

Carney says he won't speculate.

Carney gets a question on the American condemned to death in Iran. He repeats what he says yesterday.

Carney: "The allegations are false, the sentence is absurd and wrong, and we urge his release" (12:45).

Q: Jordanian King Abudullah to visit W.H.

Carney says they will discuss that issue... and the host of issues affecting the region. " I don't have anything new to report about our approach to that very difficult issue, our commitment to doing everything we can, working with our partners ... to urge both sides to come together and negotiate the peace."

Q: Is Jordan doing enough on Syria?

Carney: "Our position on that certainly hasn't changed."

Q: Robert Menendez is blocking Judith Schwartz. Is the president concerned there's any sort of revenge going on?

Carney: "We obviously want to see all of the president's nominees considered in a timely manner... But I don't have anything specific on this particular nomination or those stories."

Q: Isn't it strange that a Dem is getting in the way.

Carney: No comment. Says that they're always disheartened by obstruction. Nominees "ought to be considered on the merits"

Q: Has Menendez voiced his concerns to the W.H.?

Carney says he doesnt' know.

Q: What will Bill Daley's role with the campaign be?

Carney: Points to the campaign. Says Daley was involved last time.

Q: When Bill Daley was named a year ago, his business outreach was touted. Why didn't the president mention Jack Lew's experience in the private sector at CitiGroup.

Carney: "Jack's resume is quite long... The only budget director in history to oversee three years of surpluses."

More: "His tenure here at both the State Department and the WHite House has been stellar... But it's also true that he has private sector experience ... as a manager at a private firm."

Q: How does running a business like that square with the admin's focus?

Carney: "You're tilling very [tallow?] ground here..." Says the financial sector is important. "Wall Street needs to go by the same rules as Main Street."

Q: How will Lew and Pete Rouse split up their duties?

Carney: Says they're going to wait until Lew takes over officially. "Pete is an invaluable senior advisor to the president..."

Q: Can you explain the timing of the Lew-Daley switch?

Carney: "Bill's leadership has been exceptional through a very challenging year. Jack's been there. He has -- I think it's important to remember -- a participant in the 7:30 meeting. ... He will, as much as anyone possibly could, slide seamlessly and effortless into that role."

More: "As decent and smart an individual as you will ever encounter in Washington."

Q: Question on the gov't taking controls over broadcasting.

Carney says he hasn't looked into it but "as a parent, you always have to weigh concerns about exposing kids to things ... that you'd otherwise not want them exposed to."

Q: The president recently went to the CFPB was a booster to employees there. Is he going to continue to show up at agencies to be a cheerleader?

Carney: "I think he's keenly aware of the high quality of people working out in the agencies doing exemplary work for the American people ... He is noting important work that people are doing. His visit today, I'm sure, is about that." (1:01).